Spike 1000 Interview
Scott: How were you asked to do the tour?
Spike 1000: We formed in Bakersfield so we know the guys of Korn. So we asked Fieldy if he could help us get on this and give us the first five dates.
Scott: How did you meet Fieldy?
Spike 1000: Three of us went to high school together with Munkey and Head. Fat our bass player grew up with Fieldy.
Scott: How was last night night's show in preparing for the tour?
Spike 1000: It was amazing. You are talking to a brand new band that got a major deal. To be able to get on a huge stage with an excellent sound system is great. It was really a dream come true. Everybody on the tour is treating us just like anybody else. It's been really cool.
Scott: Where were you when the events of September 11th happened?
Spike 1000: We were off tour getting read for [family values]. We knew our album was coming out that day. We weren't on tour so we slept in a little. We got up just happy that the record was coming out and happy with the world. So five or ten minutes later get some cereal turn the TV on and,"Oh Shit!" It was just awful. It took everybody's attention away from a small bit of happiness we might have had from the new album coming out. We were totally stoked to be on this tour, because it's the first tour we have been on where we have a product to give. A product to sell. We were touring from February to July without a product to sell the kids.
Scott: Could you talk a little about the new album?
Spike 1000: The new album is called "Waste of Skin" and came out September 11th on Columbia Records. Our first single to radio called "Make me Suffer" didn't do anything because of the bombing. The list of songs that Clear Channel made contained our song. That list was complete shit. "Wipeout" was on there. The song has one word in it, which is wipeout. What does that have to do with anything? So it looks like we will have a new single in January. The album is available in all stores and if it isn't, contact us on our website so we can go beat some people up.
Scott: What was the recording process like for you?
Spike 1000: We had some songs before hand. We went in with our songs and played them for our producer Malcom Springer. He came in without hearing anything of ours before. He was careful to not listen to anything beforehand so as not to get a predisposed idea of what the songs were. So right there were a few he decided not to go with or rob parts for other songs. We ended up recording 13 songs in the session. Three songs aren't on the record and are like B-sides and two were made during the recording process, which was new for us. Malcom was out of Nashville so we had to up and move there. It was really different. At first we were opposed to it. At first we wanted to have it close to home and have people be able to stop by. It removed us from our element and allowed us to get completely submerged in our element. Nashville is very different from San Francisco. Malcom was great to work with.
Scott: How did you meet Malcom?
Spike 1000: We were introduced to him from our A&R guys at Columbia. After we signed the deal, we had the idea that we would get to choose who our producer would be. We had a producer wish list. At first we wanted all these other people, but eventually we ended up wanting him over the other people.
Scott: How do you get the energy for your live show?
Spike 1000: That energy comes from dealing with everyday life shit. That same energy comes from someone who has to go to work and deal with a jerk of a boss every day. All those emotions people feel every day are the same emotions we feel. We are venting what any person would feel every day. We are just lucky enough to be able to do it onstage.
Scott: Have people looked differently at you because you have a female lead-singer?
Spike 1000: Yeah, but we don't pay attention to those people. To the industry people, that was a focal point. "You have a girl singer, it's going to be harder/easier." It doesn't seem to really matter to the people we play to.
Scott: What other differences does this tour offer you besides the size?
Spike 1000: We get to eat three times a day. We get dressing rooms. We have had tours where we get ready in the van. It's really professional, as something of this magnitude needs to be. The crew once again has just been amazing and treated us like the other bands on the bill.
Scott: How did the band originate?
Spike 1000: We met in Bakersfield like 10 or 12 years ago. Jeff has played with our bass player Fat in the past. Bill actually followed Jeff home one night. [Bill] was a year under [Jeff] in high school and [Jeff] had just graduated and he saw [Bill] at 7-11 and followed him home. We stumbled upon Shannon who we knew of from high school.
Scott: Could you talk about your preparation for the show?
Spike 1000: It was great. Soundchecking the date of a show sometimes takes a bit of your energy that you would like for the actual show. It was cool to get a lot of that stuff out of the way. You get familiar with the people. There isn't anyone in the arena and you get to watch their dry run. It was almost like a personal performance. We got to watch all the bands for free and just sit there and chill.
Spike 1000: Go to www.spike1000.com, our website. Check out the record. It's really cheap. Even though we aren't on the rest of the tour, go check it out because there are a lot of great bands on there.
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